In response to the self-named ageing gay geriatric one-time activist lamenting the lack of out/outspoken queer figures in institutional public life and the “so few young LGBT people” coming through the ranks (blaze 16-8-08).

Please consider: What about 20 year old Matthew Mitcham – the first openly gay Australian Olympic athlete who won gold in Beijing? And Dan Clarke and Jennifer Greer Holmes at Feast? And Jordan Lee? And Libby O’Donovan? And Matthew Loader? And The Aqueerium team from Radio Adelaide?

We might not be based at Parliament House or the High Court, but half the Aqueerium team and everybody else listed here – who are but a handful of examples – are aged under 35 and through the arts, academia, activism, the media and sport are all very publicly playing their part in promoting queer rights.

I’m not sure of the aspirations of each of these people but I wouldn’t be surprised if you see some of their names in institutional public life in years to come.

Chelsea Lewis
The Aqueerium